My Sister's Keeper
by Mortania Hottersander
Summary: AU-I lost several things in the war, Bellatrix being one of them-and now, I was left to pick up the pieces as I had done so many times before.
1. Chapter 1: Letters and Photographs

**My Sister's Keeper**

**By: Mortania.**

**A/N: **_My favorite characters tend to all be Death Eaters, and I like to picture Bellatrix pre-Azkaban as a beautiful, sophisticated witch who cared very much for her sisters, until she was betrayed by one of them and she felt like she failed the other. This story came to me a couple years ago and I finally just got to the point where I could finally write it._

**Disclaimer: **_JK Rowling owns HP Universe, I just play with it. And tend to…change things, a little, if you must._

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**CHAPTER ONE: LETTERS & PHOTOGRAPHS**

I had just buried my sister this morning, and now I sat in the middle of one of the enormous four poster beds which she and her husband had been sleeping in since they escaped Azkaban. Before I had pushed open the large doors leading to this room, a heavy burden seemed to be cast upon me, but it was nothing compared to what I would find when I walked into the room.

My older sister had never been the most organized of people, nor had she been the most logical. But, she had been my oldest sister-and that meant something to me. If it weren't for me begging Lucius to let her and Rod come live with us for the duration of the war-she would've been living somewhere obscure. I had requested that the House Elves not touch her room when she was killed, I felt it my duty to pick up the pieces of the life she had been living recently, only, it would be a matter of minutes before I'd have to pick up the pieces of her entire life from the moment she moved out.

When I walked into the room, instantly I was greeted with her clothes strewn all over the floor, draped across the sitting area, and tossed above the bed. Like I mentioned, she was never that organized. But the thing which stood out to me the most was that Rod's clothes were all neatly folded and in the drawers. Whereas, it looked like Bella had thrown things haphazardly into them. The room which she had been living in had four parts. A sitting room area, which one could close off from the bedchamber; the bedchamber itself with the armoire, nightstands, and a couch at the end of the bed; the little study area, which was in essence, a desk and another chair across from it with a few bookshelves behind the desk; and lastly, the bathroom.

Immediately, my attention was drawn to the desk and bookshelves. Hanging from the shelves themselves were newspaper clippings, handwritten notes, and letters. She'd kept track of things, quite methodically if I might add. Though a folder or scrapbook would've been a better idea, she liked to think in the open. Her room when she was a teenager had been one with photos, artwork, poetry, and posters all over the walls. Bella was and had always been somewhat of a rebel. But to the public whilst we were growing up, she was a lady. Her room only reflected the madness that Bella would become.

My gaze left the bookshelf and traveled over to the bed and nightstand. On the nightstand, a yellow envelope with her slanted, beautiful penmanship was leaning against the candleholder. My name written across the front. I picked it up and instantly sat down on the bed, which was unmade and looked as though she had just threw the coverlet back and walked out of the room moments beforehand.

_Narcissa,_

_There's a letter folded up in the nightstand, I request you read it before you open the large envelope under the letter. _

_Your sister, Bella._

Naturally, directions were something Bellatrix liked giving. Father use to joke that Bella was a Chief commander and Andy and I were just following her orders. Sometimes, he was right. She was in charge, she was, after all, the oldest Black sister. Placing my hand on the handle, I opened the drawer with caution. Bellatrix was one for trapping things. I wanted to be sure she'd made this safe-I'd hate to lose my hand without knowing how to fix it because she wasn't around to counter-act it.

Unfolding the thick stack, I saw her elegant handwriting once more, this time, written with a dark purple ink. Bellatrix's favorite colors were those closest to blood and black.

Situating myself on the bed so I could read comfortably, I lit the candle and began reading while leaned against the many pillows still on the bed.

* * *

_My dearest Narcissa, _

_If you're reading this letter, regrettably, I've ceased to exist any longer. Otherwise, you'd probably never lay sight upon this stack of parchment and you would never know the following things I'm about to reveal to you. Take heed, little sister, because this is a heavy burden to bare. I've always written this sort of letter every time the Dark Lord has called me. Not because I expect to die, but because I can't trust other people to not want to kill me. _

_My dear, sweet Cissy…I recall the day mum and dad brought you home. I remember looking at your messy light tuft of hair and how tiny your fingers were wrapped around my then four year old fingers. When you looked up at me, when I held you the first time, it was different from holding Andy, there was something about you that made me promise you I'd be there for all the most important days in your life. I vowed to take care of you. But, my little sister, it seems as though the role was reversed in the later years. For this, I apologize. _

_I'm not positive how exactly to begin this letter. What can I say to console you? What things can I possibly do to make you get over my death a little easier? I suppose I might give up that endeavor and apologizing for not being good enough, for not being strong enough, for failing to survive to protect you-and tell you the things which I never wanted anyone to know. We all have secrets. Everyone has skeletons which we try to keep in the closet. We have secrets we keep from others, and we have secrets which we keep from ourselves. The ones we keep from ourselves are often the ones we carry to the grave. Leaving everyone in our wake, clueless. Sometimes, this is best. _

_The secret I'm about to reveal to you, well, plural, secrets, are ones which I wanted to carry to my grave but can't handle letting all the monetary wealth Rod and I had go to waste-so here's the facts which will help you distribute that the way I see fitting. The secrets which you are about to read-could've ruined everything. My marriage, life, reputation, and others' lives. Dear sweet Cissy, this was a burden for me. One which I continually wished would end. My own little horror story that I knew not how to solve. _

_As you know, Rodolphus and I were married as soon as we finished Hogwarts. It was an arranged marriage, if you recall. One binding the names of Lestrange and Black together indefinitely. Our marriage was built on friendship, lust, a hatred of muggles and Muggleborn, and our loyalty to the Dark Lord. But Cissy, believe me when I tell you I always put the Dark Lord before everyone, including him. He resented our marriage. He wasn't a one woman type of man either. I was the worst sister on earth for this reason-I only felt I kept my promise which you were too little to remember by being in your wedding and present when Draco was born. _

_Do you remember the night September 19__th__, 1979 when I was in serious pain but told you that I could deal with it? I remember that night plainly. It was a night which I shared with a Muggle. One of the only nights I shared in the presence of a Muggle. She was twenty-two, had medical training, and just had a boyfriend. I found her at the top edge of a building just outside of the Leaky Cauldron. She was getting ready to jump from the building to her death. I dragged her off the roof and to a shabby motel on the edge of London. _

_That night, I gave birth, Narcissa. I know, no one even knew I was pregnant, and I preferred it that way. She was a beautiful child, Narcissa. Her hair was a brown color, and her eyes were Honey like Rodolphus' eyes. But I knew I couldn't keep her. I took one photo of her. That's all. Just one. I told the Muggle to take her far away and raise her as her own. She did as told, silently, she left the room with the child and I returned to the Lord's side. _

_The second birth, was one nine days after Draco. This was a birth which I had gone to Ireland to disguise. I had found an old family with Pureblood and gave her to them to raise. I named the girl, however, her name is Keaira Lucretia Narcissa. First and middle names, anyways. I sent the witch and her family money every year for Keaira. Rodolphus never knew of either birth or pregnancy. He would've been able to tell Keaira wasn't his. _

_Keaira had beautiful black hair, my stormy gray eyes, and the most beautiful features. The same night she was born, I was summoned to the Dark Lord. He was livid that I showed up late. I was given the Crucio curse until I couldn't breathe…yet, I still refused to tell him why I was late. Think about it, if I had told him that I had just given birth to his child, and handed her away to a quieter life-how would he have reacted? I have often thought about Keaira and the power she must possess. My sophisticated and beautiful looks and his power. Never had I thought about the first child, mine and Rodolphus' child-until recently. _

_There was another child, of course, but I'm unsure as to whether or not it was a boy or girl. The Aurors took it from me instantly when I gave birth to it in prison. _

_I cheated on Rodolphus almost constantly…until the Dark Lord vanished. The Dark Lord was incapable of love, this I knew-but lust-lust was something to do with power, with strength, with dominance, and he thirsted for those things. I searched for the Dark Lord out of lust, Rodolphus out of loyalty. He knew of my affairs, and said nothing, because I let him have his rendezvous. _

_The first child was absent in my thoughts until Potter and his two cronies showed up at the manor a few weeks ago…Granger reminded me of the little girl I handed over after taking one photo of. It frightened me and I shook it off because how could a child of two Slytherin alumni be a Gryffindor? It's highly impossible but very probable…research this for me, if you would. If she is indeed my first child, she gets a portion of the Gold in the account…which, still, though a small portion, is very hefty. I'm aware that as the child of Rodolphus and I she should get at least half…but you know as well as I do that if she indeed is my child and Rod's child she would've been disowned the moment the hat said Gryffindor. _

_Please, Narcissa, when you go through the envelope, remember me as your sister, not as the person I became after continually having my heart ripped from my chest. _

_I've also left my diary in the top drawer of the left hand side of the desk. Do what you will with it. _

_Always your Bella, _

_Bellatrix Lucretia Black Lestrange_

* * *

As I put the letter down, I couldn't believe what my sister had divulged to me. Three children. Two girls and one unknown. This was a task she had left to me, and I had to keep my word and find them…to distribute the monetary portion of the will. I grabbed the photos out of the nightstand and turned the envelope upside down. The photo that landed on the very top of the stack after the enlarged envelope had dumped everything out, was the photo of a four year old Bellatrix holding me, a three day old Narcissa Black. Suddenly, the heavy burden I felt outside the doors made all that much more sense.

The only things I had left of my sister were apparently her letters, diaries, photographs...and something I would've never pictured her having-_children_.


	2. Chapter 2: A Bright New Day

**My Sister's Keeper**

**By: Mortania Hottersander**

**A/N:** _I do apologize for the delay in my updating of this story. But seeing as how it has been a dreary day here I decided what perfect weather for me to pen a few lines. _

**Disclaimer **I play with everything.

**Chapter Two**: A Bright New Day

It had been a week since Bellatrix had been lain to rest in the dirt, which-I suppose is probably the best rest she's ever gotten since she was a young girl. The weather, though it was summer had suddenly been very dreary with rain accumulating, flooding occurring and the water in the pool we owned was more filled than I had ever witnessed it. I had taken to packing that envelope out to the sunroom with me for afternoon tea more than once, in fact, though the rain was streaking down the glass dome-there was something comforting in the rain.

I reached my hand in the envelope, pulling out a beautiful black book with a 'B.B.' embroidered upon the over in a silver thread. This journal was familiar to me because our father had gotten each of us such a book when we had begun school. Mine had the initials with N.B. and our sister Andromeda's had A.B on the cover. Whatever house we were sorted into were the colors on the cover. Mine had been a purple color and Andromeda's was blue. Naturally, father had been disappointed in 1964 when Andromeda started schooling at Hogwarts.

Bellatrix, being the eldest sister had just entered into her third year of schooling when Andromeda was accepted and began attending. I was only nine at the time, but I remember when father had received a letter from Andromeda and Bellatrix after the sorting. Bella had started her letter quite comedic.

_My dearest Father, _

_It is with great sorrow that I write you to inform you that Andromeda Druella Black is NOT carrying on the family tradition of being placed into Slytherin. But fear not! She is not in Hufflepuff (Merlin forbid) or Gryffindor (Thank you). She's in Ravenclaw. I told her studying all the time wouldn't be healthy. Send Cissy my love. _

_-Bella_

It was actually one of the letters I'd already put away that she'd left in the envelope. Naturally that just made Andy into the easy target. Then, when I'd gotten sent to Hogwarts-Bellatrix had turned 15, and I was sorted into her beloved Slytherin House.

I turned to look at the black book in my hands though and opened the front cover. It opened to the page from the first day Bellatrix had boarded the train heading for Hogwarts.

_Journal-_

_I woke up this morning to find this book on my desk in my room. Father had attached a note explaining why he could not go to the station to drop me off with this and he was extremely apologetic about not going with me to receive my Walnut and dragon heartstring, 12 & ¾ inches wand. Typical father, although, he did do me a favor and buy me this book. That most CERTAINLY will make up for the fact that the man is never around. If I have "daddy" issues…it's because of that man. That is quite beside the point. I'm heading off to the wonderful institution of Hogwarts to begin my wizarding training. As though I haven't learned anything from reading the Black Library…Mother tells me I have nothing to fear that it'll all come naturally to me because I am from the Black family and we're a pureblooded family centuries old. We'll see._

_-Bella_

_Journal- _

_Got sorted into Slytherin. Excited as hell. Met this boy named Andrew Avery, a sixth year. He's gotten a younger brother about Narcissa's age. Says that he's got this really prestigious club he's part of. That if I join it when I'm trained up a bit, I'll be part of the master bloodline. I think I might consider it. I after all, do want to expand my contacts._

_-Bella_

* * *

Andrew Avery. Of course, it was him that got Bella involved with the Dark Lord. There were times when I had wondered whether or not she had first fallen in love with him before Rodolphus. But then I have to remember that she met Rodolphus after he had started Hogwarts with me and he and Bella had been arranged to be married. I think honestly, she never really loved Rodolphus. I pulled out the photo of Bellatrix on her wedding day, and chuckled at the memories that had been made that day and the days and weeks leading up until that day.

* * *

_flashback_

"Bellatrix Amata Black, will you please quit fidgeting or else the seamstress is going to poke you hard with the needle." Druella Black scolded her eldest daughter who was moving to look at the back of her wedding dress.

"Mum, why in the Name of Merlin couldn't I wear a BLACK DRESS?" Bellatrix asked, smacking the seamstress' hand. Narcissa came out from behind the curtain, wearing a black strapless dress which she was trying to pull up over her small breast. "And why does Narcissa get to wear Black?" Bellatrix pointed at her little sister.

"Are they ever going to grow?" Narcissa was looking down her shirt, her hands cupped over her chest. Bellatrix couldn't help but laugh at her younger sister. "I mean, really?" She looked almost distressed. "How is Lucius going to find me attractive if I don't have anything for him to grab?"

"Narcissa! You will stop that this instant. Bellatrix quit laughing. And you can't wear black because you're the bride. You wear white because you're untouched." Druella spoke sternly to her daughter. "And this is not a funeral it's a wedding."

"Untouched my left arse cheek," Andromeda muttered from one of the chairs. Bellatrix threw the nearest item she could find at her middle sister, which happened to be the pin cushion that the seamstress was holding. "And yes Cissy, maybe on your eighteenth birthday your breast might come in. It took me that long." Andromeda said, ducking the flying pin cushion.

"Well, you're doomed to marry Avery, so that's what you get for having small breasts." Bellatrix spoke while holding her head up proudly. "I get to marry to the Lestrange family and Cissy is due to marry into the Malfoy family. You're the only one with the raw deal."

"I'm not marrying Avery."

"Yes you will young lady, or be disowned." Druella Black glared at her middle child with a warning on her face.

"Bellatrix, I don't know why you're complaining, you look marvelous in white." Clarice Hottersander-Whittinghamshire, one of Narcissa's friends that had been asked to be a bridesmaid in the wedding spoke from one of the other chairs. "And Narcissa, your breasts aren't that small your dress just needs taken in a little." Clarice glanced over at Andromeda who was looking through the jewelry she had to choose from.

"I'm complaining little Claire because I don't like white. I never have, and I never will." Bellatrix looked at Narcissa and winked.

_---A few days later---_

The ceremony had been absolutely beautiful. And now everyone was sitting at the reception where Rabastan Lestrange had been hitting on Clarice, who was very much married-he had even tried sneaking his hand up Miranda Hawthorne's skirt at one point and managed to have a drink dumped on him. Narcissa had been dancing with Lucius Malfoy, her intended, and one of the Groomsmen. Bellatrix had kind of gotten her way when she had changed into her cocktail dress for the reception-she was wearing black-with light pink, of course, because mother wouldn't have it any other way. Her hair was absolutely beautiful as well.

* * *

Yes, my sister had been quite the beautiful bride. I put the book down beside me on the table and got up, it had quit raining and the sun was shining. It was time for me to take a walk in the sunlight maybe I could put off thinking about her having children another day. But today, I wanted to think about her in her wedding dress.


	3. Chapter 3: Nails

**My Sister's Keeper**

**By: Mortania Hottersander**

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**A/N: **_So I got my nails done today, and I feel…sassy! :D So this is kind of a tribute to my awesome day._

**Disclaimer: **_I own…the plot. Sort of. JK Rowling owns…the characters…except those you do not know._

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**CHAPTER THREE**: Nails, Suspicions, Confirmation

* * *

I had now re-read the letter about seven different times. Wondering how it was I was supposed to sort out the trail of breadcrumbs and suspicions my sister had left me. She had hinted at the Granger girl being her daughter, hers and Rodolphus' daughter. If this was indeed true it meant that being first born of Bella's supposed three children, Granger would be the one whom would get the majority of the treasure in the vault at Grigotts. The solicitor whom was put in charge of Bellatrix and Rodolphus' estate had contacted me four times in the past week, urging me to find the beneficiary to the Lestrange fortune and homestead which had been abandoned for several years now and was probably in need of repair. Bellatrix, being the brilliant witch she was, had left me more than enough pieces of hair in order to perform the proper spells and potions tests to determine if I had actually found a daughter or son of hers. If there was a son between her and Rodolphus-then he would be the recipient of the majority of the fortune-age be damned. I decided that I needed a day away from the Magical World-and the place I often found myself in the muggle world was a nail and hair boutique just outside of the Leaky Cauldron. They had a marvelous deal for manicures and pedicures-cheap but absolutely brilliant. Not that I couldn't just pay the salon people to come to me…sometimes, it was nice to get out into the sunlight.

Today, when I walked into the salon, Brittany, one of the beauticians smiled warmly at me and instantly placed her hand on my arm, leading me over to the many polish colors upon the wall. Normally, I had them toss on a dark purple or green color-but today, I decided upon a dried dark red blood looking color and was ushered over to the pedicure spa chair. While I was given the massage remote, I sipped on my glass of ice water the Beverage Boy, Bernard brought me. I almost spit out the icy cold water when I saw a girl walk into the boutique that was familiar to not only me but my son. It was the girl herself that I was suppose to figure out how to get into contact with. She was all by herself and looked absolutely thrilled to be in such a beautiful place. Of course, her face still had a cut or two on it from the battle which had taken place three weeks ago.

She looked over at me after selecting a shade I normally selected. The girl, Laura, set Miss Hermione Granger in the chair beside me.

"How, peculiar finding you here, Mrs. Malfoy, do you come here often?" Hermione spoke to me first. While not entirely friendly of a tone, I could tell that she was merely acknowledging that Narcissa Malfoy, Pureblooded wife of Lucius Malfoy and traitor of the Dark Lord during the most crucial point in the war-was sitting in the Muggle World surrounded by people who knew nothing of the tragedy or war over their lineage.

Looking at the girl's eyes, which was what Bellatrix had commented about-I saw the honey brown color which was indeed known to Rodolphus. Her face was slim and sophisticated; her nose was exactly that of Bella's. I shook my head and broke my dumbfounded look and answered her. "For your information, Hermione Granger, I do come here often. The service is friendly and they have my favorite color of polish. However, my husband and son do not keep track of what I do when I am not at home. I'm quite invisible unless I am needed for some trifling social event or planning of something."

Hermione was taken aback by my sudden burst of social engagement with truth. "Oh." She looked down at Laura, who was massaging her calves. "My mum use to bring me here." Hermione quietly muttered. I turned my head to look at her with a curious expression. "I suppose I should say Karen Granger use to bring me here. It was part of our 'girls out' day we use to do every other weekend before I went to school. Of course, when I'd come home for the summer we'd keep it up-if she wasn't busy at the Dental practice."

"Why do you call your mother by her given name? If you don't mind me asking." I was merely curious as to why the girl had corrected herself.

"Because I named her Monica Wilkins and relocated her last summer." I was slightly dumbfounded at that. She had given her parents a new identity and relocated them so they would be safe during the war-or at least, this is what I understood. "When I went to restore her memories, I pretended that I was her sister's daughter and she confided in me that she remembered who she was, and who I was-and told me to look in the safe behind the family portrait above the mantel. I did."

"And what did you discover, Hermione?" Brittany was now rubbing my calves with the exfoliating rub, before she would trim my cuticles on my toes and paint them.

Hermione looked at me square in the eyes-her brown eyes meeting my icy blue ones. "Adoption Papers-Without a name of my birth mother. I mean, how am I supposed to find who I really belong to, if there are no breadcrumbs? Why would my mother, memory slightly returned or not, never mention it to me before? I mean, shouldn't a person have the right to know where they came from?" She looked absolutely agitated. At this statement, I allowed myself to appear shocked and awed.

"Hermione, has it occurred to you that she perhaps felt as though she was doing you a favor?" I asked, smiling at her. "Think about it. What if your mother was like me?" I spoke tactfully, hoping that the girls' brains hadn't failed her in the year she had taken off from school. "But what if she wasn't on your side but my husband's side?" Now I was giving her ammunition. "What would you do if that person had asked your mother to take care of you because she knew that she, herself couldn't be as great as a mother as you deserved? Karen Granger will always be your mother, Hermione, even if she just took you after someone decided that they couldn't be half the person that she could. Maybe your biological mother couldn't have children and the person found your mother and liked what she saw."

"If that were the case that she was like you, Narcissa-then obviously I have been tormented and teased for all those years for being something I might not be. I think that deserves and explanation. Wouldn't you think so?" Hermione gave me a look-one that I had seen more than once, and it was in that moment that I decided that I wouldn't speak to the girl unless she spoke to me.

When Brittany had finished with my pedicure, she had taken me over to the manicure table, which ironically was sitting beside the chair which Laura directed Hermione into when she was finished with her pedicure. Hermione looked at me and was trying to figure out something, she eventually opened her mouth to speak again and when she did I was shocked at the words coming out of her mouth. "Narcissa, would you please join me for a drink at the bar after this?" I turned my face toward hers and sighed. This would be fun to explain to Draco if any news of the meeting were given back to him or Lucius after this.

"Yes." I answered, mentally slapping myself.

After Brittany had finished with me and Laura had finished with Hermione, we walked over to the Leaky Cauldron, where we found a booth in one of the dark corners. I sat with my hand on the table, my red nails glistening in the candlelight.

"Narcissa, tell me, are there ways of finding my real mother if she indeed is magical?" Hermione asked me, and for once, I could only surmise that this was perhaps the one book that she hadn't read. Or at least, that's what Draco's voice said when it popped into my head. Laughing slightly, I shook my head.

"Yes. However, you personally could not access the necessary records. I do know someone, however, that keeps track of Wizarding lineage and knows a little something about blood links." I paused, biting my lower lip, only stopping when I realized that Hermione was doing the same across the table. It was something that unfortunately, all Black family relatives did when they were thinking about something very deeply. "I would just need a little something from you, after I ask you a few questions." Hermione surveyed me for a moment before nodding.

* * *

After leaving the Leaky Cauldron, a lock of Hermione Granger's hair tucked safely in my pocket, and the knowledge that her birthday was September 19th, 1979, I instantly headed home. It was in this moment that I missed having Severus around. Damn Voldemort and his hair-brained ideas, he had killed the most talented Potioneer I had ever met. So I had done the next best thing, I went home and began brewing the potion for testing. Luckily, I had notes written by Severus in front of me-if there was one thing I was grateful for, it was having Severus Snape as a friend in my life-he had shown me several tricks and tips that helped me harness my talent for Potions. He had first noticed it at school, but seeing as how I was forced into marrying Lucius Malfoy and starting a family-I wasn't allowed to have a career. But if I would've chosen anything it would've been something with Potions and Herbology.

When the potion was complete, after twelve hours of mixing and slaving over it-I separated the portion I needed for testing purposes from the rest by placing it in a vial. I picked up the lock of Hermione's hair and placed it in the potion, and very carefully I reached into the bag with Bellatrix's hair and took one of hers. Very quickly, I read what the potion would do if they were indeed linked by blood-and added my sister's hair. Instantly, the clear white potion turned pink. I re-read what would happen, and sure enough, my sister had been right with her suspicion. I went to bed that night, laying beside my husband looking at his blond-going-grey hair and smiled to myself. I would have to contact the solicitor in the morning and inform him I found my sister's eldest child.

The hard part however, would be that I would need to contact her and tell her I had some surprising news for her.


	4. Chapter 4: Weeping Willow

**My Sister's Keeper**

**By: Mortania Hottersander**

**A/N: **_After a good night's rest, I am merely back at the keyboard. Thank goodness for dreams which show me what to write next._

**Disclaimer: **_JK Rowling gets claim for all characters. I play with the plot & the ones I've inserted in the world._

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Weeping Willow**

After the day I had yesterday, I woke up in the morning both dreading and looking forward to my day. Lucius must've gotten up at the crack of dawn because he wasn't beside me when I finally was awaken by Draco standing over my bed, his hand on my shoulder.

"Mum." He whispered, and seeing my eyes open he sat down beside me. "I have to tell you something."

I just looked at him, wondering what it could possibly be that he had to speak to me at-what time was it? I looked over at the grandfather clock on the opposite wall-8 am. What could my son want to talk to me about at eight a.m. that couldn't possibly wait until ten or noon even?

"I don't want you to say anything to father just yet, but I wanted to ask you something."

"What Draco? Just out with it, son." I was far too tired to be dealing with this talk this early in the morning. I had my mind set upon contacting the solicitor today.

"I'm going to ask her to marry me." He smiled a rather large grin. My brain started spinning as I sat up with my back against the pillows-who was this person that Draco was going to ask to marry him? "I mean, with the war and everything I was afraid she wouldn't want to marry me, but now I know I couldn't imagine not wanting to wake up every morning without her. But I have to wait another two years until she's finished with school."

Okay, so that ruled out Pansy and all the girls his age. That also ruled out the class below him. Who in the name of Merlin was he speaking about? "Draco, to whom do you want to wed?" I know I probably sounded absolutely ridiculous when I asked him this-maybe he would just blame my memory lapse on the time. Or, I hoped he would.

"Astoria." He spoke her name so softly and tenderly. "Astoria Greengrass-Mum, she's beautiful. She has this beautiful golden blond hair, these perfect eyes that remind me of sapphires. She's breath-taking." I rubbed my eyes for a moment and then looked at my son. He had been through a lot in the past year-but I couldn't help but wonder if he had suddenly came to face his own mortality after the war. It would take a lot of healing for my son to live a normal life.

I closed my eyes for a moment and recalled the first time I saw his face. He had just been cleaned off from being born and the moment I looked into his little eyes-they were already icy-but wide in wonder and yearning to learn what the world had in store for him. I saw him at two years old, his blond hair had curls in it, but Lucius was disgusted by this so he began slicking Draco's hair back-this was something that I had despised-his blond curls were absolutely gorgeous-I had loved running my fingers through them. When I opened my eyes I was looking at my seventeen soon to be eighteen year old son. His hair was now messy and his eyes looked-scared? Excited? Confused? I put my hand out and touched his cheek like I use to do when he was younger. "Draco, can you think about this for another week-maybe talk to her father and take her out on a date-if you still feel the same after talking to her, then talk to me again and I'll speak to your father about making a connection with the Greengrass family-they are pureblood, correct?" I asked, looking him in the eyes.

"Yes mum. I can do that. Thank you. Just, don't tell father before then. Please?"

"I promise Draco, now-go, I have to get ready for the day." I patted him on the shoulder and as he walked out the room he turned his head and gave me a smile. Boys, they'd break their mother's hearts one day-but they also make you so proud your heart wants to burst out of your chest.

Sliding my feet out from under the black velvet cover, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. After standing, I walked over to the windows and pulled back the curtains, allowing the sunlight that was out today to stream into the room, bathing the floor with sunlight. The bathroom was calling me this morning, and I couldn't be more relieved to stand in the steady streams of water flowing down from the shower.

* * *

After getting out of the shower and getting dressed, I walked out of the bedroom and into the study-where I found a piece of parchment and sat behind the desk. What I was going to write was something that I couldn't risk Lucius finding out just yet-or even Draco for that matter.

_Dear Matthias Familiar –_

_This is just a notice to you that I have recovered an heir to the Lestrange Family Estate. Sadly, my sister, Bellatrix Armelle Black and her husband, Rodolphus Merrick Lestrange produced a child in the early years of their marriage. However, my sister, feeling that things were far too dangerous for her to be raising a child-gave the child over to a couple in the Muggle World who would raise the girl as though she was their own-far away from the dangers that plagued our world for so long. My sister had never planned on letting it go that long before she told her daughter about why she did what she did and who she really was. But as time passed, she found it even more difficult to find her child-and even more difficult to tell her husband what she had done with their only child. He had never even known that such heir existed-they did have another child later on, however I have not yet discovered just where or whom that child was. Or even if the child survived-However, I would like to notify the individual which would inherit the Lestrange Estate if she had been raised by my sister or similar family. I performed a test yesterday with the potion designed to show blood relativity. Before my sister had died, she thought that she had met her daughter, and as of yesterday, I confirmed those suspicions. _

_If you think it would be permissible, I would like to invite you and the individual which is my niece to lunch either at this manor or somewhere else in the Wizarding world. Even perhaps the muggle world. _

_Thank you for your time,_

_Narcissa Desdemona Black-Malfoy_

I folded the letter, stamped the Malfoy crest on the letter in wax and then proceeded to go find my raven.

* * *

Matthias Familiar was a Solicitor. Not just any solicitor, but a Wizard who had been trained in both the muggle law and the Wizarding World's law. He often mediated between the two worlds where blood lines and families were concerned. Unfortunate for many families whose wealth and respect or position had been lost, he refused to work with them. However, the Malfoy family and Black family had been his fathers and now his most loyal customers. He almost could be considered the Malfoy family Solicitor. However, because Bellatrix had been a Black before marrying into the Lestrange family, he had been put in charge of her Estate.

When the raven had first flown to Matthias, it had been two days after the war. It was a letter from Narcissa Black-Malfoy requesting that her sister's estate be settled as quickly and quietly as possible. Matthias had told her that it might not be as quickly as she liked, but he would indeed keep the reporters at bay-which, given the fact that Rita Skeeter was a nosy bug, took a lot more effort than it should have, but Narcissa secured quite the hefty deposit to make sure that he did his job correctly and thoroughly. Thus far, he had not failed. He did, after all, want to see the second half of pay-as hefty as the first amount had been-the second would set him up for life-or until the Malfoy family called upon him again.

Matthias was sitting in the Wizarding world this time, reading a newspaper article about how Harry Potter had just petitioned to have Severus Snape declared as a war hero, not villain-saying he had proof that Severus Snape was working for the Light Side the entire time. He also had just put in to have the Malfoy family cleared of charges of treason. He flipped the page and saw that there were names listed of those that hadn't been found after the war-and were either presumed dead or just missing, some had notes such as reward amounts leading to the discovery of either a body or location.

After seeing that the Raven was sitting on the back of the chair across from him, he placed the paper down on the table and took the letter, then reached for a piece of toast and fed the Raven, which cawed at him and then flew away. Why in all the name of Merlin Narcissa Malfoy preferred a Raven over anything else was a mystery-the woman had white peacocks outside of her mansion for Merlin's sake. Reading the letter, he quietly paid for his drink and breakfast and made his way to the owl post office, where he penned a response to Narcissa, after which he paid for the post and made his way to his office just outside of the Leaky Cauldron in the Muggle World, to gather all the documents he would need.

* * *

I received the response at roughly eleven a.m. After which I nodded and did something I wasn't sure would work-I took a walk out to just outside the front gates of the mansion and took a chance to apparate hoping to end up wherever it was Hermione was located. When I arrived wherever it was I arrived-I looked around. There was absolutely nothing around. Where was I? It was a field with a lot of really tall grass. In the middle was a hill, with a weeping willow tree, and an array of colorful wildflowers.

I decided that I should just walk up to the weeping willow tree, because it would make sense that she would be under the only tree in the field. When I got closer, I saw her, she was laying on her back, her eyes closed facing the branches and all around her were butterflies fluttering about, her brown hair was surrounding her head like a halo. It was actually a beautiful setting. She must've known I had arrived because without opening her eyes she spoke.

"Is there a reason you've come here, Mrs. Malfoy?" She sounded slightly agitated. "I would expect your friend to have sent me the results in a letter rather than having you find me at my getaway spot."

"Well, Hermione Granger, I would've obliged my friend if it were not for the circumstances."

"What kind of circumstances are those might I inquire?" Hermione now sat up with her arms behind her, turning her face to me, eyes opened and curious.

"Hermione, might I sit beside you?" I asked, pointing to a spot on the blanket she was laying on which caused her to shrug and roll her eyes. "Very well, I'll stand." I stood about three yards away from her at this point. "When I contacted my friend, he concocted a potion used for testing blood links-paternal and maternal. Luckily he has samples from everyone which need be tested-and when he tested yours-it came back with startling results." I reached in my pocket in my cloak I used for summer travel and secured a piece of parchment which, oddly enough was connected with the potion I had mixed-and would print out results just as a Muggle DNA laboratory would. I held it out in front of me and then sighed before walking the three yards between us and handing the paper to her. "If this test is accurate, which it is 99.7% of the time, it means that you have quite an estate to inherit if you accept. It also means-"

"No bloody way in hell." She whispered. "There's no way. I don't believe this. Wait, you knew?" She turned her honey colored eyes to me and I looked down at her. "Did you know? How long ago did you know that this was true?" She asked me, standing now.

"Hermione, she had suspicions when you, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley came to the manor during the war. She said it was just to coincidental that you had the exact same eyes as Rodolphus. Her journal revealed that she also couldn't help but notice you had Rodolphus' face shape, her brains, and somewhat her brilliant personality before she joined Voldemort." I had to spit the last name out as though it was poison. I had been working on saying his name in the weeks since the war. I might as well, if everyone else was going to write it. I couldn't as well call him 'The Dark Lord'. "She also pointed it out rather specifically in a letter to me that the child she had on September 19, 1979 had the same birthday as you-and that's not just a coincidence. And standing here looking at you giving me that look, you remind me of our mother, Druella."

"I need to be alone. Leave." She held the paper close to her and stared out at the field, as though trying to sort her thoughts out without snapping. I couldn't help but want to give her a hug-but instead, I did as she asked and honored her request to have space. If I would've found out that my mother was Bellatrix Lestrange-I would've probably gone insane instead of remaining slightly calm and in denial. She would come around.

"You know where to find me." I said quietly before walking away from her and apparating back to the manor. One down, two to go. Or, at least, I hoped there were two more to find-if they hadn't been killed or died of natural causes. I could only hope quietly to myself that Hermione came around before the end of the week-so when it came time to give her what was truly hers, she would be able to accept it. While at the same time I realized that she probably would need time. Time to come to terms with the news she had just received, and time to tell her boyfriend who she really was.


	5. Chapter 5: Discovery

**My Sister's Keeper**

**By: Mortania Hottersander**

**A/N:** _I think that because I've been doing Narcissa/Third Person narration, I think I'm going to take a break from the usual and write this chapter from Hermione's Point of View, including the last part of the last chapter with what I will consider the next chapter. _

**Disclaimer: **_I love playing with JK Rowling's characters and putting them in situations that they probably wouldn't be put in by the author herself. I like mixing things up and giving people a different personality than what the one is that we see. _

_

* * *

_

**CHAPTER** 5: Discovery

"Is there a reason you've come here, Mrs. Malfoy?" I felt very agitated yet adjusted my tone to sound only slightly so. "I would expect your friend to have sent me the results in a letter rather than having you find me at my getaway spot."

In all honesty, this place had been my little hiding place since my mother-Karen Granger-and father had been working more. My sitter had taken me here once, where she brought a picnic lunch and we enjoyed it so much that we had come back almost every single day. It was the place where I had taken Michelle to tell her that I was going to be going to a Private Boarding School for gifted kids. It was also the place that I had gone after the hectic end of the years at Hogwarts. I vowed that when I was older I would build my house here. How dare that tall, absolutely beautiful but what I always thought was cruel blond find me here.

"Well, Hermione Granger, I would've obliged my friend if it were not for the circumstances." She spoke back to me, a smile forming on her face.

"What kind of circumstances are those might I inquire?" I now sat up with my arms behind her, to brace myself. Turning my face toward Narcissa, my eyes opened and curious.

"Hermione, might I sit beside you?" Narcissa asked, pointing to a spot on the blanket which I was laying on, I shrugged and rolled my eyes, I didn't really care if she sat down beside me or not. "Very well, I'll stand." Narcissa stood about three yards away from me at this point and I realized that she must have a reason to be so distant. "When I contacted my friend, he concocted a potion used for testing blood links-paternal and maternal. Luckily he has samples from everyone which need be tested-and when he tested yours-it came back with startling results." She reached in her pocket in a cloak that appeared as though it was rarely used but a few months a year and secured a piece of parchment in her hand. She held it out in front of her and then sighed before walking the three yards between us and handing the paper to me. "If this test is accurate, it is 99.7% of the time…"

I wasn't listening to the rest of her statement because I was looking at something I didn't want. Something I had wanted, yes, but not like it was being given to me.

* * *

_Dear Ms. Granger, _

_Thank you for your sample you provided to the registry. We ran a sample of your DNA through our system and came out with one result as to who your mother is. We are pleased to inform you that you have the same DNA markers as: _

_BELLATRIX DRUELLA BLACK-LESTRANGE _&_ RODOLPHUS MERRICK LESTRANGE _

_Congratulations on this wonderful discovery._

_

* * *

_"No bloody way in hell." I whispered, "There's no way. I don't believe this." I paused for a moment. Wait, Narcissa was Bellatrix's sister. She had to have known. "Wait, you knew?" My honey colored eyes turned to meet her icy blue ones. "Did you know? How long ago did you know that this was true?" I asked her, getting up until I was standing.

"Hermione, she had suspicions when you, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley came to the manor during the war. She said it was just too coincidental that you had the exact same eyes as Rodolphus. Her journal revealed that she also couldn't help but notice you had Rodolphus' face shape, her brains, and somewhat her brilliant personality before she joined Voldemort." Narcissa had to spit the last name out as though it was poison. Most people had been working on saying his name in the weeks since the war, I had been saying it over the past year. "She also pointed it out rather specifically in a letter to me that the child she had on September 19, 1979 had the same birthday as you-and that's not just a coincidence. And standing here looking at you giving me that look, you remind me of our mother, Druella."

"I need to be alone. Leave." I held the paper close to me and stared out at the field, trying to sort her thoughts out without snapping. Narcissa did as I asked of her and honored my request to have space. How could this be true? I was the child of two Death Eaters, responsible for torturing my friend Neville's parents to insanity. I was the child of the woman who had held a knife to my throat only a few weeks ago.

"You know where to find me." Narcissa said quietly before walking away from me and apparating back to wherever it was she was going. What was I going to tell Ron? How was I going to explain this to Ginny or to Harry? Harry would most likely freak out the most, seeing as how my biological mother killed Sirius. Bloody hell, I was the daughter of a raving mad lunatic. I needed someone to talk to. Merlin, I wish Remus Lupin hadn't have been killed…by my mother. Why did this have to be my mother? Why couldn't I be a long lost separated twin sister of Neville or something? That would be easier to accept.

I began pacing now. What was I going to say to Ron? 'Hi honey, guess what? My mother was Bellatrix Lestrange I'm the daughter of a raving mad murdering lunatic! Still want to marry me?' No….that wouldn't go over well. It didn't even sound like it would go over well in my hypothetical situation in my brain.

I screamed. It felt better…but I needed to tell someone about this. Someone that would understand without judging what I was about to tell them. I needed someone older, wiser, better at dealing with things like this that had experience with comforting someone when they were distraught. Then, I made up my mind.

* * *

Hogwarts was quite blown apart after the war and had been under construction in the past three weeks. They wanted to be sure to get it up and going before we all started school again in the fall. When I arrived just outside the gates, there were people everywhere trying to repair the building. I could only hope that someone actually managed to get it fully repaired-it had been such a beautiful castle all the years I was there. As I walked up the long winding path, no one really spoke to each other, they just went about repairing the school both magically and non-magically. I found my way to the statue which lead to the Headmaster's office, and it was already open to my surprise. So, I walked up the stairs and there, behind the desk was Minerva McGonagall.

"Hermione! How can I help you?" She smiled warmly at me and gestured to the seat in front of the desk. "Please, have a seat."

I use to go to Professor McGonagall for advice all the time while I was in school. I always found a chat with her absolutely refreshing, I pulled out the letter which Narcissa Malfoy had given me and placed it on the desk in front of the Professor. Minerva picked up her half moon spectacles and read the document, and then looked up at me and placed the paper back upon the desk. "Are you returning to school this next year, Hermione?"

"Yes." I answered still very much confused. Why was Minerva not acting all that surprised? "Why?"

"I just wanted to know whether the head girl position should go to you or Miss Weasley." Hermione looked at her former professor incredulously. What was she playing at?

"Ginny should have it, it's her class after-all. Professor, aren't you shocked at what I just showed you?" Now I was just getting absolutely agitated. Minerva stood and walked over to the shelf where she pulled an old book from the shelf and placed it down on the desk. "I don't understand." I mumbled. Minerva opened the book and turned to a page in the middle of the book, and held it out to me.

_Hermione Jean Granger_

_London, England  
b. 9.17.1979  
Lineage: Pureblood_

_Raised by Karen and Frank Granger, Hermione was adopted at birth when her real mother, Bellatrix Lestrange hid her pregnancy from her spouse and delivered the child in a hotel with a suicidal Karen Meadows. Bellatrix Lestrange named her Hermione but left it for Karen to name her the rest of the way. Does not know anything of the adoption or biological mother/father-Witch raised as Muggle born. Sort date: September 1, 1990_

I couldn't believe what I had just read. What was this book? "You knew?" I asked. "What is this book?"

"That book, Hermione, is a record of all the students which are to be coming into the school during a ten year period. It gives the Headmaster or Headmistress and Deputy Headmistress or Deputy Headmaster information because it is used to not only address the acceptance letters but also personally deliver them if the individual is raised as a Muggle or is indeed Muggle born. Think about it, Hermione. Why would Dumbledore himself come to give you your letter while, as you've see, kids raised in the Magical world just get a letter and no explanation or counseling for their parents?"

I thought about it for a moment, it did make sense. "Oh." I felt absolutely ridiculous now. How did they do it? How did they keep it quiet all those years? "I'm a Gryffindor though."

"You, Hermione, though you are the daughter of Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange are who you've always been. You just found out that your blood is a little purer than you thought. You were raised by Karen and Frank Granger, Hermione. You became the person you were meant to be. So, why are you allowing this to get to you? And don't try to lie to me and tell me that it's not bothering you-because it is."

"I guess, I just feel like Harry is going to hate me for who my mother was. I'm afraid Ron won't want to marry me because of my mother and father. I'm afraid that Neville won't be friends with me because of what they did to his parents." I looked at my hands, the manicure that I had done the other day really was gorgeous in color.

"Quit being ridiculous, just because you found out that your mother and father were murderers does not mean you are anything like them. You will never be anything like them. You might look like them, but you won't ever become a raving lunatic." Minerva finished and walked around the desk, limping still. "Hermione, you're a bright witch, don't let it get to you, now, I believe that you have friends to go talk to. They'll understand, Hermione, and if they don't…then they don't deserve your friendship."

* * *

As I walked to the apparition point I glared at the white tomb and then with a CRACK I appeared in front of the Burrow. This place was such a comfortable place for me to be.

"GINNY!" I heard Ron's voice from inside and before I knew it, I was being tackled to the ground by Ginny Weasley.

Though for some reason, I couldn't help but feel like this would be a relatively _short _visit at the Burrow for the first time in years.


	6. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

Alright, before I publish the next chapter-I really couldn't make up my mind as to what I wanted Bellatrix Lestrange's middle name to be. If you noticed (which I do not doubt in my mind that you haven't) She has been named Bellatrix Amata, Bellatrix Armelle, Bellatrix Druella, and Bellatrix Lucretia…I do adore_ all_ these middle names…however, I think I'm finally settled on the fact that Bellatrix's middle name should be Lucretia.

As Narcissa's middle name will remain Desdemona. Andromeda's will remain Druella.

As far as I know, Bellatrix was born in 1951, and died in 1998, so this story takes place in 1998-as the last part of the last book took part in 1998. I think I am going to disregard the epilogue, as most fan fiction writers prefer to do-although bits of it I will honor, such as who Draco married.

Andromeda was born in 1953, and Narcissa in 1955. This means that Bella's first year of Hogwarts was 1962 and she graduated in 1968. Andy went to Hogwarts from 1964-1970. Narcissa went to school from 1966-1972. This means that Bellatrix was 28 when Hermione was born in this story. It also means that she was 29 when the second child, Keaira was born-and 34 when the last was born. Narcissa was 25 when Draco was born.

Therefore, at the time of this story, Bellatrix died at 46 going on 47. Andromeda was 45, and Narcissa is 43.

Alright, that is all.

-Mortania


End file.
